Dismal results in rural towns index for Donegal towns

Rural towns in Donegal have fared miserably in a recent index compiled to measure the economic strength of towns in Ireland.

Rural towns in Donegal have fared miserably in a recent index compiled to measure the economic strength of towns in Ireland.

The average ranking of 25 rural towns in the country saw Donegal finish fourth from the bottom in an index of the average rank per county. No Donegal town finished in the strongest category, the top 50, in the Index of the Economic Strength of Rural Towns in Ireland, which was produced by Teagasc. Seven rural towns in Donegal finished in the category ranked weakest.

Fianna Fáil Councillor, Brendan Byrne said: “This is a sad indictment the government and European policy. In fact, the situation has worsened greatly with the anti-rural coalition government whose policy to close rural schools, garda stations, post offices and indeed everything else that makes life possible in rural Ireland.”

The research analysed towns and their surrounding districts that had a population of 1500 or more in 2011. The index based economic “strength” on the unemployment rate and the level of migration. The lower the unemployment rate, the stronger the town was and the higher the level of inward migration, the stronger the town was. The index was calculated using the CSO Census Small Area Population Statistics for 2011.

Sinn Féin Councillor, Marie Therese Gallagher said the index reflected the work of successive governments.

“We need to use this report to fight back for rural areas, rural towns and rural people. Policies need to change. We have to make the government sit up and listen to us,” she said.

If you wish, you can contact us using any of the methods below: Donegal Democrat, Pier 1, Quay Street, DonegalDonegal's People, Larkin House, Old Town, LetterkennyEmail: news@donegaldemocrat.ieTelephone: 074 9740160

This website and its associated newspaper are full participating members of the Press Council of Ireland and supports the Office of the Press Ombudsman. This scheme in addition to defending the freedom of the press, offers readers a quick, fair and free method of dealing with complaints that they may have in relation to articles that appear on our pages. To contact the Office of the Press Ombudsman go to www.pressombudsman.ie or www.presscouncil.ie Donegal Democrat provides news, events and sport features from the Donegal area. For the best up to date information relating to Donegal and the surrounding areas visit us at Donegal Democrat regularly or bookmark this page.